Footwear construction with heel support assembly

Abstract

An article of footwear having a heel support assembly with a memory foam layer situated internally of a heel counter is provided. The memory foam layer may be laminated to the heel counter, for example, by adhesive or direct attachment. The heel memory foam layer may have a maximum thickness that is sufficient to embrace the heel of the wearer's foot potentially cradling the calcaneus, the retrocalcaneal bursa and the base of the Achilles tendon. The heel support assembly may also include a heel cradle extending around an external portion of the upper and including a lasting allowance. The heel cradle can provide torsional support in the arch region (or waist) of the article of footwear, for example when the heel support assembly is incorporated into an article of footwear with a strobel construction.

1 . An article of footwear comprising:
 a sole:   an upper joined to the sole, the upper include a heel counter assembly disposed in the heel region of the upper, the heel counter assembly including a heel counter and a memory foam layer, the memory foam layer having a maximum thickness of at least 7 mm, the upper further including a transition foam layer disposed above the heel counter assembly having a maximum thickness less than the maximum thickness of the memory foam layer; and   a heel cradle extending around the heel region of the upper into the arch region of the upper.   
     
     
         2 . The article of footwear of  claim 1  wherein the heel cradle includes a lasting allowance disposed between and secured to the upper and the sole. 
     
     
         3 . The heel support assembly of  claim 1  wherein the memory foam layer is laminated to the heel counter. 
     
     
         4 . The heel support assembly of  claim 1  wherein the memory foam layer is molded to the heel counter. 
     
     
         5 . The heel support assembly of  claim 1  further including an overlay extending laterally around the upper, the overlay being substantially coextensive with the heel counter. 
     
     
         6 . The article of footwear of  claim 1  wherein the upper includes a strobel construction. 
     
     
         7 . The heel support assembly of  claim 1  wherein the heel cradle includes a medial portion, a lateral portion, and an intermediate portion therebetween, the intermediate portion having a reduced height relative to the medial and lateral portions of the heel cradle. 
     
     
         8 . The heel support assembly of  claim 1  wherein the transition foam layer includes a maximum thickness of less than or equal to 3 mm. 
     
     
         9 . The heel support assembly of  claim 1  wherein the memory foam layer includes a tapered peripheral edge. 
     
     
         10 . The heel support assembly of  claim 9  wherein the thickness of the tapered peripheral edge of the memory foam layer is generally equal to the thickness of the transition foam layer. 
     
     
         11 . A heel support assembly for an article of footwear including an upper and a sole, the heel support assembly comprising:
 a heel counter assembly including:
 a heel counter disposed adjacent to a heel portion of the upper of the article of footwear, and 
 a memory foam layer positioned internally of the heel counter, the memory foam layer being substantially coextensive with the heel counter; and 
   a u-shaped heel cradle extending around an exterior portion of the upper and including a medial portion and a lateral portion each having a lasting allowance extending inwardly between the upper and the sole.   
     
     
         12 . The heel support assembly of  claim 11  further including an overlay substantially encompassing the heel counter assembly along the exterior portion of the upper. 
     
     
         13 . The heel support assembly of  claim 11  wherein the memory foam layer includes a tapered peripheral edge. 
     
     
         14 . The heel support assembly of  claim 11  wherein the memory foam layer is laminated to the heel counter. 
     
     
         15 . The heel support assembly of  claim 11  wherein the memory foam layer is molded to the heel counter. 
     
     
         16 . A method of manufacturing an article of footwear comprising:
 joining a memory foam layer to a heel counter to form a heel counter assembly;   securing the heel counter assembly to a heel portion of an upper;   positioning a u-shaped heel cradle over a base of the upper, the heel cradle including a medial portion, a lateral portion, and an intermediate portion therebetween; and   securing a sole to the upper, the medial and lateral portions each including a lasting allowance disposed between the sole and the upper.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16  wherein joining the memory foam layer to the heel counter includes laminating the memory foam layer to the heel counter. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16  wherein joining the memory foam layer to the heel counter includes molding the memory foam layer to the heel counter. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16  wherein securing the heel counter assembly to the heel portion of the upper includes gluing the heel counter assembly to the upper. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16  further including positioning an overlay around a heel portion of the upper, the overlay being substantially coextensive with the heel counter assembly. 
     
     
         21 . (canceled)